House panel discusses resurgence of al Qaeda

In response to long-building levels of terrorist activity in Iraq, a House Foreign Relations subcommittee held a hearing Tuesday to address concerns about the resurgence of Al Qaeda.

Rep. Ted Poe (R-Humble), who chairs the Terrorism, Nonproliferation and Trade subcommittee, said Tuesday, “Al-Qaeda is playing the long-term game. The United States, it is questionable whether we are in the game.”

Poe also said “Al-Qaeda is a robust global organization that is not on the path to defeat.”

Former Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut testified before the committee, saying “After 9/11, the overwhelming focus of our government was on the threat of terrorism and in particular al Qaeda. Today that is no longer the case.”

Lieberman also said while ‘core al Qaeda’ has been reduced, al Qaeda affiliates are “fighting to build sanctuaries in Syria, Libya and Iraq.”

Rep. Brad Sherman (D- California), ranking Democrat on the subcommittee, said that the administration has had success against terrorism. “We’ve gotten out of Iraq, we got out of Afghanistan, we killed bin Laden, so I would say that if you’re going to grade on a curve, you’ve got to give this administration an A.”

Asked for comment on the issue, Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Austin), chair of the House Homeland Security Committee, said Tuesday, “Increased sectarian violence spilling over from Syria and the growth of al Qaeda affiliates has led to instability and increased militancy in Iraq. These are the lingering affects of the Obama Administration’s withdrawal from Iraq without a counterterrorism footprint, stabilization assistance or advisers for securing its democracy moving forward.”

Lieberman echoed McCaul’s sentiment at the hearing and said there was not “any apparent strategy in place to address al Qaeda’s growth in Iraq.”

Jane Harman, a former representative from California, testified that “Now, more than any other time since 9/11, it is extremely hard to differentiate terror groups from your average band of militants or to understand their varied missions and strategies.”

Harman echoed the sentiments of many in the room with a single statement: “We are still at war with al Qaeda.”